Korean Stock Market Value Surge Amidst Corporate Controversy
- SEOUL, South Korea (Yonhap) – The practice of "duplicate listing," where both parent companies and their flagship subsidiaries are publicly traded, is under increasing scrutiny as a potential...
- Currently, South Korean law, including the Commercial Act, lacks specific regulations addressing duplicate listings.
- In December 2024, LG Electronics faced controversy when it pursued an initial public offering (IPO) for its Indian subsidiary.
South Korean Stock Market Faces Scrutiny Over Duplicate Listings
Table of Contents
- South Korean Stock Market Faces Scrutiny Over Duplicate Listings
- Concerns Over Regulatory Gaps
- LG Electronics Faces Criticism
- Past Instances and Shareholder Value
- SK Group’s Approach
- Doosan Group’s International Listing
- The Appeal to Controlling Shareholders
- Regulatory Responses and International comparisons
- Voluntary Solutions and Shareholder Value Enhancement
- Duplicate Listings in south Korea: Your Burning Questions Answered
- Q&A: Unpacking Duplicate Listings
- Q: What exactly is a “duplicate listing” in the South Korean stock market?
- Q: Why is this practice controversial? what are the main criticisms?
- Q: What legal and regulatory gaps exist in South Korea regarding duplicate listings?
- Q: Can you give specific examples of companies facing scrutiny?
- Q: What were the share price impacts of these listings?
- Q: Why are duplicate listings attractive to controlling shareholders?
- Q: How does South Korea compare to other major economies regarding duplicate listings?
- Q: What are some examples of how U.S. tech giants structure their businesses?
- Q: Are there any voluntary solutions that some South Korean companies are adopting?
- Q: What is the impact of the regulatory environment on shareholder value according to experts?
- Q: Are there any regulatory responses to the problem?
- Conclusion: Looking Ahead
- Q&A: Unpacking Duplicate Listings
SEOUL, South Korea (Yonhap) – The practice of “duplicate listing,” where both parent companies and their flagship subsidiaries are publicly traded, is under increasing scrutiny as a potential cause of chronic undervaluation in the South Korean stock market. While proponents say duplicate listings facilitate business expansion for controlling shareholders,critics argue the practice dilutes the value of parent companies and harms investors.
Concerns Over Regulatory Gaps
Currently, South Korean law, including the Commercial Act, lacks specific regulations addressing duplicate listings. This regulatory gap has led to concerns that government authorities, despite initiating policies aimed at enhancing corporate value, are taking a passive approach to regulating the practice.
LG Electronics Faces Criticism
In December 2024, LG Electronics faced controversy when it pursued an initial public offering (IPO) for its Indian subsidiary. The market expressed concerns that listing this profitable division could negatively impact LG electronics’ stock price by reducing demand for investment funds. LG electronics, however, maintained that funds procured would return to the domestic headquarters, mitigating concerns about fund leakage due to differing investor bases in India and South Korea. The company also emphasized that the Indian IPO involved the sale of existing shares, not the issuance of new stock.
Despite these assurances, LG Electronics shareholders voiced concerns about separating a core driver of the company’s growth. Critics also suggested that funds channeled to the headquarters could primarily benefit dominant shareholders.
Earlier in 2025, LG group faced similar criticism during the listing of its IT service subsidiary, LG CNS, on the KOSPI (Korea Composite Stock Price Index). The listing of LG CNS, considered a key business unit, fueled concerns that LG Corp. could become an “empty shell” corporation. With several flagship subsidiaries already listed – including LG Electronics, LG Chem, LG H&H, LG Uplus and HS Ad – investors worried about the potential impact of further separate listings on LG Corp.’s stock.
LG Corp.’s share price experienced a notable drop, falling 20% to 63,200 won by Oct.18, 2024, when LG CNS’s listing preparations intensified. This represented a more than 12% decrease compared to Feb. 5, 2025, when LG CNS was officially listed.
According to an official in the financial investment industry, the separation of LG Chem and LG Energy Solution in 2022 triggered significant concerns about shareholder interests, prompting discussions about the need for feasibility assessments under commercial law.
SK Group’s Approach
SK Group has also faced scrutiny regarding duplicate listings. In 2021, SK Innovation spun off its secondary battery materials division to list SK eye Technology (SKIET). Concerns persist that further listings of subsidiaries like SK On and SK enmove could devalue the parent company. The Korea Exchange has recently indicated that the IPO progress of SK enmove may face disruption following a preliminary review.
Doosan Group’s International Listing
doosan Group has also encountered controversy. in February 2025, its Czech subsidiary, Doosan Skoda Power, was listed on the Czech stock market, raising similar duplicate listing concerns. The separate listings of doosan Bobcat and Doosan robotics have also drawn criticism, with allegations of shareholder interest violations and unfair merger promotions.
While duplicate listings can lead to reduced valuations due to the double-counting of parent and subsidiary interests,they remain attractive to controlling shareholders. Listing subsidiaries allows them to attract external capital without diluting their ownership through paid-in capital increases, thereby expanding the group’s overall size.
Regulatory Responses and International comparisons
The differing interests between general shareholders and dominant shareholders highlight the challenges posed by duplicate listings. While south Korean laws lack explicit prohibitions or limitations on the practice, financial authorities are implementing stricter listing screenings and encouraging companies to include shareholder protection measures in their governance reports.however, critics argue that these “soft regulations” are ineffective, as companies often find ways to circumvent IPO requirements.
Data from IBK Investment & Securities, released in November 2024, indicates that South Korea’s overlapping ratio of listed companies is 18.4%, considerably higher than major economies like Japan (4.38%), Taiwan (3.18%), and the United States (0.35%). The U.S., in particular, has few instances of major companies engaging in overlapping listings, with Berkshire Hathaway being a notable exception.
Many U.S. tech giants, such as Microsoft (with subsidiaries like LinkedIn and GitHub), Apple, Tesla, Alphabet (Google’s parent company), Meta Platforms (Facebook’s parent company), NVIDIA, and amazon, maintain their subsidiaries under the parent company umbrella.
Despite the prevalence of duplicate listings, some South Korean companies are voluntarily addressing the issue to improve shareholder value. Dongwon Group Holdings’ Dongwon Industry recently abolished the listing of its subsidiary,Dongwon F&B,through a complete stock exchange,earning market praise. Similarly, Meritz Financial Group delisted meritz Securities and Meritz Fire in 2023, consolidating listed companies into a single holding company.
Lee Sang-mok, CEO of Konduit, a minority shareholder platform operator, expressed frustration, stating that the damage to shareholder value among domestic companies remains a significant concern.
Duplicate Listings in south Korea: Your Burning Questions Answered
The South Korean stock market is currently undergoing a significant period of scrutiny. At the heart of this is the practice of “duplicate listing,” where both parent companies adn their major subsidiaries are publicly traded. But what does this mean, and why is it causing so much concern? Let’s dive in, answering your key questions and navigating the intricacies of this complex issue.
Q&A: Unpacking Duplicate Listings
Q: What exactly is a “duplicate listing” in the South Korean stock market?
A: A duplicate listing refers to the situation where both a parent company and its key subsidiary are listed on the stock exchange and publicly traded. This means investors can buy shares in both the parent company and a major subsidiary, such as LG Corp. and LG electronics.
Q: Why is this practice controversial? what are the main criticisms?
A: The primary concern is that duplicate listings can lead to the *undervaluation* of parent companies. Critics argue that the practice dilutes shareholder value and harms investors. This is frequently enough as of:
- Double-counting of Interests: The value of a subsidiary is already reflected in the parent company’s value. Listing it separately might confuse investors.
- Reduced Demand for Parent Company Shares: Investors may choose to invest in the subsidiary rather than the parent, decreasing demand for the parent’s stock.
- Potential for Conflicts of Interest: Controlling shareholders might prioritize the interests of the subsidiary, potentially at the expense of the parent company’s shareholders.
Q: What legal and regulatory gaps exist in South Korea regarding duplicate listings?
A: Currently, South Korean law, including the Commercial Act, *lacks specific regulations* directly addressing duplicate listings. This regulatory gap has led to a passive approach from some government authorities, despite initiatives aimed at enhancing corporate value.
Q: Can you give specific examples of companies facing scrutiny?
A: Certainly, several South korean conglomerates are in the spotlight:
- LG Electronics: Faced criticism when planning an IPO for its Indian subsidiary. Concerns emerged that this listing would reduce demand for investment in LG Electronics itself.
- LG Group: Similar criticism arose when listing its IT service subsidiary, LG CNS, sparking fears LG Corp. could become an “empty shell.”
- SK Group: faced scrutiny after SK Innovation spun off its secondary battery materials division (SKIET), with concerns that further subsidiary listings could devalue the parent company.
- Doosan Group: The listing of Doosan Skoda Power (in the Czech Republic) and the separate listings of Doosan Bobcat and Doosan Robotics have drawn criticism due to shareholder interest violations and potential unfair mergers.
A: Share prices frequently enough suffer, as we saw with LG Group.
- LG Corp.: Experienced a nearly 20% drop in share price (to 63,200 won) around the time LG CNS’s listing preparations intensified in late 2024.
A: They offer several advantages:
- Raising External Capital: Subsidary IPOs allow controlling shareholders to attract external funding which can be used to grow the business.
- Maintaining Ownership: Listing subsidiaries allows them to attract external capital without diluting their ownership via paid-in capital. This helps them expand the group’s size by taking advantage of external capital.
Q: How does South Korea compare to other major economies regarding duplicate listings?
| Economy | Overlapping Ratio of Listed Companies |
|---|---|
| South Korea | 18.4% (significantly higher) |
| Japan | 4.38% |
| Taiwan | 3.18% |
| United States | 0.35% (very few instances) |
The data, from IBK Investment & Securities (November 2024), clearly illustrates that South Korea has a much higher prevalence of this practice than other developed markets.
In the US, examples are rare, with Berkshire Hathaway being a noteworthy exception.
Q: What are some examples of how U.S. tech giants structure their businesses?
A: Major U.S. tech companies typically maintain subsidiaries *under the umbrella* of the parent company. For example:
- Microsoft: Owns subsidiaries like LinkedIn and GitHub.
- Apple
- tesla
- Alphabet (Google’s parent company)
- Meta Platforms (Facebook’s parent company)
- NVIDIA
- Amazon
Q: Are there any voluntary solutions that some South Korean companies are adopting?
A: yes, some companies are proactively addressing the issue:
- Dongwon Group Holdings: Recently abolished the listing of its subsidiary, Dongwon F&B, via a complete stock exchange.
- Meritz Financial Group: Delisted Meritz Securities and Meritz Fire in 2023, consolidating listed companies into a single holding company.
A: There is strong concern from analysts.
Lee Sang-mok, CEO of Konduit (a minority shareholder platform) is quoted as saying that damage to shareholder value among domestic companies is a significant concern.
Q: Are there any regulatory responses to the problem?
A: While there are no explicit legal prohibitions, financial authorities are implementing stricter listing screenings and encouraging companies to include shareholder protection measures in their governance reports.However, critics view these regulations as ineffective because companies commonly find ways around the requirements.
Conclusion: Looking Ahead
The debate surrounding duplicate listings in South Korea highlights the intricate balance between supporting business growth and protecting investor interests. As the market evolves, the effectiveness of both voluntary and regulatory solutions will determine whether this practice ultimately enhances or undermines the value of South Korean companies.